The term ‘digital natives’ comes from work done by Marc Prensky and others, initially over a decade ago, and essentially differentiates between those who are bought up with digital technologies (the natives) and those, mostly older people, who were not (the immigrants).

The OU Institute of Educational Technology’s recent work surveyed some 7000 students aged between 21 and 100 (that were age-stratified and gender-balanced). The survey explored technology use (including mobile phones), confidence in specific computer task, and learning styles.

The term ‘digital natives’ comes from work done by Marc Prensky and others, initially over a decade ago, and essentially differentiates between those who are bought up with digital technologies (the natives) and those, mostly older people, who were not (the immigrants).

The OU Institute of Educational Technology’s recent work surveyed some 7000 students aged between 21 and 100 (that were age-stratified and gender-balanced). The survey explored technology use (including mobile phones), confidence in specific computer task, and learning styles.

Haigh points out a number of interesting points:

Overall 58.1% response rate

81.2% response rate from over 70s

30.8% response rate from those in the 20s

Online response (as opposed to postal)

60% of over 60s

46.4% of those in their 20s

Other results are more in line with expectation, with younger people using computer more, and having access to a range of devices.

But there is not a clear divide, and as Haigh says in his conclusion:

“So, in conclusion, first, there’s no evidence of a clear-cut digital divide. Use of technology varies with age, but it does so predictably, over the whole age span. And secondly, although younger people are more likely to be positive about technology, there is evidence that a good attitude to technology, at any age, correlates with good study habits.”

An academic paper is under review on this work: “‘Older Students’ use of Digital Technologies in Distance Education”, by Chetz Colwell, Anne Jelfs and John T E Richardson.

Share this:

About Shirley Williams

Shirley Williams is a National Teaching Fellow and Professor of Learning Technologies at the University of Reading. She is involved in a number of research projects related to learning technologies, communities, social networks, Digital identity and knowledge transfer.
She also enjoys reading and cooking.

I’m not at all surprised by the high response rate from over 70s. If they’re OU students they’re likely to be a particularly tenacious segment of the older population and also, at risk of stereotyping further, are less likely to have distractions of work and family than people in their 20s. The higher level of on-line responses among older than younger study participants is, however, harder to fathom, although I’d like to know the pattern of response from people in their 30s, 40s and 50s.